


Duty to Teach

by Merfilly



Series: Jedi Asajj [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bullying, Emotional Manipulation, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-21 18:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8255719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Obi-Wan has found an apprentice for Asajj. He just has to convince her.





	

"No." 

"Asajj — "

"I said no, Obi-Wan, and I stand by it!"

"Just meet the child!"

In all the time they had known one another, Obi-Wan had never failed to respect Asajj's wishes, but this time was a bit too much. He had to try and convince her to take the child on, because the child was driving everyone to distraction and Asajj was being questioned more and more over her own tenets.

"I don't need to, Obi-Wan. I am ill-suited to sharing my life with another being," the woman snapped.

"You did fine by me when you took care of me!" Anakin said, trying to help his master.

"I could give you back, SkyBrat," she told him, before glaring at Ky, who was sitting with Tahl and Qui-Gon observing the conversation. "Don't start, Master. Living with you was the exception to all things."

Ky inclined his head to her, then turned back to the card game they had been playing when Obi-Wan started.

Obi-Wan hated to do it, but he pulled out all stops. "Asajj, the child has exhausted every resource, and the teachers who know how to handle her are all trying to negotiate with the systems threatening to leave! Her clan-master can't deal with her like the last one did, and she is very … gifted. If I cannot find a solution to present to Master Yoda, she may very well be sent back to her homeworld or placed in the Agricorps.

"That seems exceptionally wasteful of someone strong enough in the Force to manage to kill a dangerous predatory beast on sheer instinct, without thought of harm to herself, in order to protect another, older student."

"Why me?" Asajj said after a very long moment of consideration, because she didn't like the idea of someone being denied the right to become a Jedi just because they were too gifted. She'd faced the risk of being barred training, long ago, after all. 

"Honestly, because you are the only unbonded Knight with a hope in all the galaxy of keeping up with her," Obi-Wan admitted. "Will you meet her?" It was only half-truth, but the truth that would work. If Asajj thought she was the only option, it might sway her. That Obi-Wan truly did want her to grow further as a Jedi was one more mark of why he was being groomed for a Council seat. Despite being Qui-Gon's student.

"Yes, Obi-Wan, if only so I don't have to keep hearing your voice and seeing your pathetic face over this!" Asajj growled, stomping out of the quarters to go down to the Youngling levels.

"Are we sure this is in the child's best interests?" Tahl asked neutrally. "After all, a teacher coerced into place often missteps with their student."

"You sorted yourself out with Bant; Asajj will too," Obi-Wan said, certain of that.

"You have mentioned the girl is a bit wild," Ky said. "Is that part of why you are pushing Asajj in this direction?"

Obi-Wan gave the man a perfectly innocent look. "Master, I am only seeking to serve the Order as best I may, by not allowing the child to be lost in our system."

"As you almost once were?" Qui-Gon asked, a touch of remorse on his face for that long ago struggle between them.

"Just as you were in the right place at the right time, Master, so I think Asajj will be."

* * *

Asajj entered the quarters for Initiates, ignoring the looks from younglings who had never seen her before. She marched back to where she had been told the child in question was… and found a child resolutely ignoring the taunts of the Initiates near her, telling her she had pushed too far and was going to be expelled.

"I believe all of you need to study the Code more intently," Asajj snapped at the taunting children. "And pay attention to the discourses on compassion and placing yourself in the path of those that struggle!" 

At her words, the offending Initiates had stiffened, and tried to slink back away from the small Togruta, who had looked up from working on a remote droid on her bed. She tumbled off the bed gracefully, coming to her feet, eyes mostly lowered.

"Can we be of service, Knight?" she asked. The youngest in the room, and she had more awareness of the propriety of the situation than any of those tormenting her. Asajj wondered how the child could even be an Initiate; she was so small. The glint of polished akul teeth on her forehead spoke of other things, of prowess and skill and cunning. Asajj had studied a number of sentients, and knew the story behind Togruta rites of passage.

"You can gather your things and come with me… Padawan." Asajj didn't need to talk to the child, didn't need to hear anything. The moment she'd walked in on the bullying surrounding the misfit child, she'd been doomed. This child needed her, as she had needed Ky.

Damn Obi-Wan.

The girl's eyes snapped up to her face, going wide, before she hazarded a small smile. "May I know your name, Knight… Master?" she asked, shifting to the title for her teacher.

Oh names would be useful, she supposed, and Asajj gave a tight-lipped smile in turn. "I am Knight Asajj Ventress, former padawan of Master Ky Narec."

"Ahsoka Tano, Master," the girl said politely, before quickly gathering up her project, her clothes, and a few small trinkets. She did so with a few flicks of the Force, and Asajj said nothing about the use of it; far more practical after all to use all of the abilities present.

* * *

Obi-Wan slipped into the quarters that Ky had only just vacated that afternoon, insisting that he would be better suited to keep his belongings in the apartment currently shared by Qui-Gon and Tahl.

Honestly, how was the Council going to pretend to keep ignoring those three? That was not for Obi-Wan to deal with; he had to make certain he hadn't made a mistake by pushing Asajj so hard. That his code worked on the door was promising. 

He kept his steps quiet, not wanting to be a disruption, and then he heard laughter, a child's laughter at first, but answered by Asajj's. 

"That's exactly it, Ahsoka. Now do it again, this time without the improvisation if you can?"

"As long as I get it done, does it matter how?"

"To those that will administer your tests, yes. They stand on form, rather than results."

Obi-Wan smiled, before he pulled himself back from the doorway, leaving the pair to settle in. This had felt right to him, and now he was certain of it. Just as he had enjoyed teaching Anakin all these years, now his friend would know what it was like to shape and guide a young, gifted apprentice.

**Author's Note:**

> A note as the narrative hasn't exactly opened up the chance to show it:
> 
> Obi-Wan and Anakin, due to having had an experienced trio of mentors on hand for Obi-Wan, as well as someone who knew what slavery truly meant, have a far more solid bond in this universe. What this means for Palpatine's machinations... well, they probably didn't get much chance to happen. Because if Obi-Wan is needed elsewhere, Anakin is placed in the care of one of the three elder masters, Asajj, or even Bant, as those three pairs have kept close ties.


End file.
